Wildfire Volleyball: Team lands four onto All-Conference team

For being so young and unheralded, the Saco-Hinsdale Wildfire had a successful season, placing second in the conference and placing third in the 2014 3C District Tournament.

The team also produced two First Team All-Conference Athletes, freshman Jada Sudbrack and sophomore Alana Malmend.

They also had two athletes make Second Team All-Conference, junior Delaney Beil and freshman Mickayla Johnson.

“I was pleased that four were chosen from Saco-Hinsdale for All-Conference,” Wildfire Head Coach Kathy Siroky told the PCN.

Receiving First Team All Conference honors, Jada Sudbrack shined as an outside hitter for the Wildfire this season, delivering unstoppable hits time and time again.

“Jada was an all-around player. She played all positions and served really well,” Coach Siroky said.

She was second in aces for the team, with 88, and second in kills with 132.

Though to many coaches, Sudbrack would have had many more kill attempts, Siroky only counts a kill if it is a proper downward spike, which means she doesn’t pad stats. That makes Sudbrack’s kills even more impressive.

Receiving First Team All Conference honors, Alana Malmend was a pleasant surprise for the team. With her unorthodox approach to the net, she has made some of the most athletic kills that provided highlight reel material.

She had a total of 113 kills.

“Alana was a very versatile player, who could play all three positions up front and dominate,” Coach Siroky said. “She could find the holes no matter where she was up front.”

Despite being only 5’6”, Malmend could out jump many players over 6’0” tall.

If there was a kill being made, more than likely Delaney Beil set it up.

She received Second Team All Conference honors due to her hustle at the position.

Beil accounted for 310 of 383 team assists.

“That’s the way it should be. We ran a 5-1 offense and everything ran through her,” Coach Siroky said.

Beil asked for the opportunity to take a hold of the offense during the first week of practice this year.

“She said ‘I want to set the ball. I want to set the ball all the time,’” Coach Siroky recalled. “I like a player that knows what she wants and is in control. She was the general of our offense and I think she did a fantastic job.”

If there was a kill champion of the team, it would be freshman Second Team All Conference athlete Mickayla Johnson, who destroyed nearly every ball in her reach.

Johnson led the team with 152 kills.

“When you’re six foot tall, you have a different perspective up there at the net,” Coach Siroky said. “She’s a freshman and I expect lots more from her as the years go by.”

In every aspect of the game, senior Courtney Capdeville shined and led by example.

“She was one that if you asked her to do something, she would be right there to do it. Whether is was setting the ball or playing outside, she was an all around leader,” Coach Siroky said.

Capdeville and Sudbrack were at a tie for the team lead in aces.

Senior Hanna Whitaker missed a lot of the end of the season due to injury, but her serve will always be remembered by those who saw it.

“She was one of those forces. She was one of those servers that I would like to have in there all the time,” said Coach Siroky.

Freshman Casity Boucher was an excellent player, who stepped in when she was needed. She was needed a lot.

“She was just a player that could play anywhere. You could put her anywhere and she would be happy to be there,” Coach Siroky said. “She was my backup setter when Beil was gone and I thought she did an awesome job.”

Payton Chopper was the team’s libero.

“Payton was our defensive specialist,” Coach Siroky said. “It was nice that I could put her anywhere in the back row and she was able to pick up the slack. She is also an awesome server.”

Siroky believes that her serve will only get better with age and strength.

Freshman Bailey Funk also showed great defensive skills, primarily when Chopper was out with a concussion.

“She was out with an injury, but when she came back, she came back and picked up right where she left off,” Coach Siroky said.

Coach Siroky couldn’t say enough about senior Madison Taylor’s attitude and smile.

“She was just kind of that little spark plug. She was very encouraging to everybody,” Coach Siroky said. “When we were able to get her in, she did a really good job.”

She went on to say, it’s nice to say that you had ten people play on your team and can honestly say they’ve earned their letter.

She also had a few thank yous.

“I really want to thank the parents who were there and supported us throughout the season. Some of us traveled to every end of the state and it was nice to see them support the kids.

“For all the little things the parents did, whether it was supporting the kids at home and getting them to practice... We have a nice following and it was good to see them out there,” Siroky said.